How to Raise a Field Cricket
Field crickets are a common type of cricket to raise in your home. The reason why you might want to raise a cricket is varied. Field crickets are raised as bait for fishing, food for pets and as pets themselves. They are also raised for the purposes of entomophagy, the act of eating insects. People eat insects as a way to obtain the benefits provided by the vitamin and nutrients in their bodies. Regardless of the purpose, raising field crickets is an easy and simple task.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Aquarium with metal mesh lid
- Peat soil, enough to make a two-inch-thick bed in the aquarium
- Empty paper towel rolls
- Small dish of fruit, oats and a few pieces of dog food
- Wetted paper towels
Instructions
-
-
1
Prepare the cage. The size of the cage is not important for approximately 50 crickets. Put down a two-inch-thick bed of peat on the bottom of the cage. Put in empty paper towel rolls. If the aquarium isn't wide enough, cut the rolls in half. The crickets will nest in them.
-
2
Prepare food and water. Put out a small dish filled with oats, fruit and a few pieces of dog food. Crickets are omnivores, just like humans. Wet a few paper towels and wring out the extra water. Place the damp towels in the cage. This is the cricket's water source.
-
-
3
Change food and water regularly. Put in a new set of damp paper towels every other day. Replace food once it's been eaten. It's important to give your crickets fresh food, as they are susceptible to health issues resulting from rotten food. If the food in your aquarium is starting to go bad, replace it with a slightly smaller amount of food. Continue to do this until the food you put in the tank is eaten by the crickets in its entirety before it goes bad.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
All varieties of crickets are excellent jumpers, you may want to put a rock or heavy object on top of your lid to ensure they don't escape. Crickets should be raised in temperatures of approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a place to put them in this temperature, put the aquarium underneath a light bulb for added warmth. Otherwise, no extra lighting is necessary. Field crickets emit a strong odor, so it may be best to keep them in a garage, attic or some other space not occupied regularly by people.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit cricket image by Gail Oswald from Fotolia.com
